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Most companies these days seem to be in relentless pursuit of my opinion and attitude, yet the questions they ask really don't encourage conversation. Sometimes they just ask me to log on and "complete a survey." Neither approach encourages any deepening of a relationship.

It happened on a Wednesday. I was in my cubicle preparing for a meeting I felt unqualified to lead, nervously scribbling down an agenda. I was pumping myself up with the freshest single at the time, Like a G6, when I heard my boss shouting over the sea of cubicles, penetrating my ears over Far East Movement's fresh beats.

While it's no secret that sustained levels of stress are not good for your health, there is more to the stress story than "stress is bad." As it turns out, how you perceive stress is just as important as the amount of stress you're experiencing.

Even after 15 years and over one thousand lectures, I can't say that I've completely overcome the fear of public speaking. On some occasions, I still get some butterflies when I first get up in front of the audience.

Employees want to be more than just employees. They want to be respected for their unique perspectives and experiences, feel connected emotionally to the purpose of their organizations and know how their contributions are driving their businesses forward.

Change requires hard work. Too often, in our endeavor for change, we bite off more than we can chew. We over commit and think that transformation has to be immediate and this is the mistake that will lead to disappointment.

Whether dealing with our families, our employees or with our customers, the story is the same - our character defines us - it defines us in our personal lives and in our lives at work. It is who we are.

As an entrepreneur or executive, you often get caught up in the "bigger picture" and the intricacies of your leadership role. But by doing so, it is possible to become disconnected from your impact on employees, customers and suppliers.

By following these suggestions, principals can set a more positive, focused and goal-oriented tone to the observation process. The result will be happier teachers and genuine sense of fulfillment, knowing that you are satisfying one of the most important tasks in your role as instructional leader.

Imagine this energy is like currency -- you get a certain amount each day, to create your now -- so you wouldn't want to fritter it away. Once you realize the impermanence of life, that the past and the future aren't able to be held because they do not really exist, you can only be present!

Millennials' expectations are different from the older generations'. Millennials grew up with highly involved parents coaching them, instant access online to grades, and thousands of texts with their friends.

Genuinely apologizing is one of the most magical healing, restorative gestures a person can make. Without the apology, there is no recognition or acknowledgement that mistakes have been made, there is no announcement that you intend to change, and most importantly, there is no emotional contract between you and the people you care about.

We know it is hard to change behavior. But trust us, you can do it. We can not remember the last time we had a fight or argument with someone. But we constantly learn new things and we end up knowing the nicest people all over the place, also if we start out on a rough path!